Camper Safety

Safety Information

Supervision

• All Lutherhaven Ministries staff are carefully screened, undergo a thorough interview, reference checks, and federal criminal background checks and receive professional outdoor ministry leadership training before campers arrive. Read about how we train our staff.
• Staff review and follow set policies, procedures and practices developed by the best camp professionals in the nation, and are dedicated to a high level of safety in all activities.
• Campers are supervised and rules for safety are verbally reviewed at the very start of camp. Upon arrival at camp, campers are instructed that they must always travel in groups of threes and may not leave the group without letting their counselor know. Lutherhaven Ministries staff practice specific procedures for possible emergency scenarios including lightning, fire, wildlife, lost camper and lockdown.
• Campers and camp staff wear protective safety equipment during activities. We wear activity specific helmets for rock climbing, zip-lining, and horseback riding.
• Our rock climbing, high ropes course, & our team building activities are regularly inspected, safe, and up to date with industry standards. High ropes facilitators undergo industry standard safety training.  During these activities, a trained and certified Lutherhaven Ministries staff member will give thorough safety talks and follow proper safety procedures for each activity.

On-site staff are certified in first aid and CPR; waterfront staff are all certified lifeguards.

Healthcare

The Lutherhaven Healthcare Manager maintains camper’s health forms, medication, and a stocked first aid cabinet. We review and screen every camper’s health form before camper arrival. Once campers arrive, we check for any health updates or issues.

*Please note all campers needing to turn in medication or with life threatening allergies or conditions must go through the Health Care line at check-in.

Medications Available at Camp:

Diphenhydramine
Clotrimazole
Tolnaftate
Benzocaine
Menthol
Ibuprofen
Topical burn cream/gel
Miralax (Polyethylene Glycol)
Guaifenesin
Hydrocortisone (topical)
Glucose tablets or gel
Gatorade, Pedialyte (electrolyte replacement)
Acetaminophen
Epsom salt
Bismuth subsalicylate
Calamine Lotion
Betadine solution
Antibiotic ointment
Menthol oral cough drops
Tums, Maalox
Cetaphil or Quick Nits

Epi-Pens

• Campers requiring an epi-pen should bring two with them to camp. One to carry with them and another for the Healthcare Manager to keep in the Health Center.
• Campers with life threatening or severe health allergies or health conditions are given an identifying wrist band at registration.

Food Safety & Allergy Information

Lutherhaven Ministries endeavors to provide the safest environment possible at all times for all our guests. This includes food safety.

With an increase over the last several years in food allergies, Lutherhaven works to accommodate guests with one or more of the “Top 8” food allergens recognized by the US Food and Drug Administration, foods that cause 90% of all food allergic reactions.

Eight most common food allergies:

• Peanuts
• Tree nuts
• Milk
• Eggs
• Wheat
• Soy
• Fish
• Shellfish

Among this group peanuts and tree nuts are the most common severe allergy and can often be life threatening. We do not add peanut and tree nut products to our prepared food items. We also do not serve shellfish to guests at camp.

Campers with other food allergies, intolerances, lifestyle choices or concerns may need to refrain from certain food items at camp, or provide their own food.

Please note: Although we do not add peanut and tree nut products to our prepared items, we do have individual packets of peanut butter and jam for use by campers at their individual tables. Peanut butter packets are kept at the food counter. Campers are able to purchase pre-packaged items that contain peanuts in the Trading Post (granola bars, candy bars, packaged trail mix, etc.). Camp Counselors do watch for care packages that are sent to their campers, in the event they contain allergens that could impact other campers.

For those campers with airborne peanut/nut allergies, we work together to find the best solution for the week.

Celiac Disease

Our kitchens are not equipped to meet the strict food handling requirements of guests with this disease.  Guests with Celiac Disease should plan on bringing their own food.

Vegan, vegetarian, Gluten Free and other specialized diets

Our kitchen is equipped to provide alternatives for campers who are vegan, vegetarian and gluten free. We recognize that campers have preferred “tastebuds” and those with specialized diets might prefer certain brands. We have limited brand choices. If parents and guardians would like to supplement their camper’s specialized diets, they are welcome to. 

Upon arrival, parents are welcome to drop off supplementary specialized food to our kitchens.

Waterfront Safety

Camp Lutherhaven

• At Camp Lutherhaven, summer campers must pass a swim check before using the waterfront to determine their strength as a swimmer. All campers are paired with a buddy at the waterfront and camper checks are performed every fifteen minutes (during camper checks, all campers leave the water and return to their counselor to ensure no one is missing). Non-swimmers must wear a life jacket to participate in any water activity or must remain in shallow areas. All campers are required to wear personal floatation devices on watercraft and inflatable water toys regardless of their swim assessment results.

Shoshone Mountain Retreat and Ranch

• At Shoshone Mountain Retreat, campers have the opportunity to float the Coeur d’Alene River and swim in the Shoshone Creek swimming hole. All campers floating the River must wear provided lifejackets and are accompanied by Lutherhaven Ministries Staff.
• A Lutherhaven Ministries lifeguard supervises all creek and river sessions.